Strength runs in the family
A powerful mother-daughter duo have impressed at the Pride of the North Strongman competition held at the Australian Artillery Museum in Caravonica at the weekend. A total of 23 athletes competed in the fivecategory event, which included a tank pull, yoke carry, log press, farmer’s carry and Fingal’s finger. Gold Coast competitor Leigh Holland-Keen was the standout in the tank pull, lugging a 6.5-tonne French Panhard tank 35m in 43 seconds.
A POWERFUL motherdaughter duo have impressed at the Pride of the North Strongman competition held at the Australian Artillery Museum in Caravonica at the weekend.
A total of 23 athletes competed in the five-category event, which included a tank pull, yoke carry, log press, farmer’s carry and Fingal’s finger.
Gold Coast competitor Leigh Holland-Keen was the standout in the tank pull, lugging a 6.5-tonne French Panhard tank 35m in 43 seconds.
Holland-Keen’s mother, Susan, also competed.
“It’s quite a challenging event,” organiser Cliff Kovacs said.
“Leigh and Susan were obviously both standouts and did a terrific job.”
Cairns entrant Pam Farley struggled to breathe immediately after her tank pull and was treated by paramedics at the scene.
But Kovacs said Farley had recovered well following the event.
“It’s not an easy sport. It can be overwhelming for some of our newer competitors,” he said.
“Pam was OK though. In fact, she was back at the gym this morning (yesterday).
“All our athletes compete in categories they feel comfortable in and we don’t force them to try anything they don’t think they’re capable of.”
Fellow Cairns entrant Samantha Jackson shone in the yoke carry, lifting the 225kg frame for 25m.
“We’ve been working with Samantha for two and a half years,” Kovacs said. “She is one of the strongest girls in Cairns and one of our most committed competitors who’s always willing to help others out.”
The next Strongman event will be held next May.